While mountain mints do produce a lot of seed, birds do not seem to care for them. Predatory species, like thread-waisted wasps and scoliid wasps, enjoy the nectar as adults and will feed other insects to their young. Many of the insects are small in size but are important. Mountain mints are attractive to many species of insect pollinators, from bees to wasps, flies, butterflies, skippers and beetles. Hoary mountain mint flowers from July through September.Ĭommon Buckeye on Clustered Mountain Mint by Judy Gallagher CC by 2.0 Covered with fine hairs, hoary mountain mint leaves appear powdery white. It can tolerate part sun and clay, rocky or sandy soil. Hoary mountain mint, unlike its cousin, prefers sunny, acidic soils that are relatively dry. It easily can be pulled up if it gets too aggressive. Like other mints, clustered mountain mint spreads through rhizomes and seeds. It has dense flower-like cymes that bloom for weeks in August and September. It prefers moist, well-drained soil, but can live in clay. Mountain mints are relatively deer resistant, but sometimes curious deer will take a nibble of emerging foliage.Ĭlustered mountain mint grows best in full sun, but it can tolerate part shade too. When the leaves are crushed, they have a spearmint scent. Both species have ovate, toothed leaves with clusters of white flowers at the nodes. Two species often found in cultivation include clustered mountain mint ( Pycnanthemum muticum) and hoary mountain mint ( Pycnanthemum incanum ). Most mountain mints average 1-3 feet in height and have a 1-2 foot spread. As you may have guessed, mountain mints are in the mint family (Lamiaceae) and sport square stems with opposite, aromatic leaves. There are eight species of mountain mint in Maryland, one of which (basil mountain mint) is historical, while three others (Torrey’s, whorled and Virginia) are rare to uncommon. I had to try it out for myself, and it hasn’t disappointed. ![]() Out of the 86 native plant species and cultivars tested, clustered mountain mint ( Pycnanthemum muticum ) ranked number one for the diversity of pollinators that visited. ) several years ago, as a Penn State Extension study found it to be one of the top pollinator plants in their common gardens. I first learned about mountain mint ( Pycnanthemum spp. Clustered Mountain Mint by Doug McGrady CC by 2.0
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